Test results show poor student performance locally

EQAO results show students in the Cornwall region are well below the provincial standard in read, writing and math for grades 3 and 6 students.

Provincial test result show primary students in the Cornwall region continue to struggle with math.

The Education Quality and Accountability Office has released figures which show grades 3 and 6 students in the Upper Canada District School Board were slightly behind the provincial average when it comes to reading and writing and were in need of a healthy increase to make up for lost marks when it comes to math.

Cornwall students are having the most difficulty compared to students in SD&G. Central Public School saw it's grade three students finish 54 per cent below the province in math with only 14 per cent of their students hitting the mark.

That's down 17 per cent compared to last year.

Grade 6 students were also behind in double digits, although there was a marginal increase of math scores this year. Gladstone Public School saw its students struggle with math as only 30 per cent of its grade three students and 25 per cent of its grade six students met the provincial average.

In both cases, the scores dropped significantly from the previous year.

The Upper Canada board wants more time to digest the numbers and go over results on a student-by-student basis, it said in a statement.

"EQAO results represent one of the data sets that we use as educators to inform student learning and to guide improvement efforts at the classroom, school, and district level," said the board's statement. "Writing continues to be a comparative area of strength, junior math is identified as an area for improvement focus, and reading results have remained relatively consistent over time in primary, and continue to show gains in the junior assessment.

"Our next steps involve a more detailed analysis of the EQAO results on a student by student basis to ensure that our students are given the supports they need for success."

The news wasn't all bad. Viscount Alexander outshone the province in math, with Grade 3 students 26 per cent higher.

Eamer's Corners Public School saw its scores improve from last year, except in math for Grade 3 students, which dropped 13 per cent compared to Grade 6 students who had a 19 per increase.

Other improvements included East Front Public School, which had a whopping 100 per cent of their grade six students hit the mark in writing, but at the same time saw a 41 per cent drop in math. But

In SD&G the results were mixed. Students at Williamstown Public School were solid in all three subject areas, along with Grade 3 students in Long Sault and Grade 6 students in Maxville.

However, students at Roxmore Public School in Avonmore struggled in math, falling 26 per cent behind the provincial average while Morrisburg Public School came in significantly below the average in everything except for math, which saw Grade 6 students 28 per cent ahead of the province.

Catholic students are slightly ahead of the overall marks, but many schools in Cornwall remain slightly below the provincial standard.

Sacred Heart and Immaculate Conception saw poor results acrss all three subject areas. Bishop Macdonell was also well below the provincial average but recorded double digit improvements with the biggest increase coming in math, an increase of 40 per cent compared to last year.

St. Columban's West School also struggled this year but saw its scores jump 14 per cent in reading and 15 per cent in math. There was one school that outshone the rest. St. Anne's Catholic School had an outstanding performance as it was above the provincial average in everything with 100 per cent of Grade 3 students hitting the mar in writing.